Immediate Measures Program against Coronavirus: 10 Important Steps

The geography of coronavirus is expanding, and even those with strong medicine cannot stop it. South Korea is second after China in terms of the number of carriers of infection and Iran is second after China in terms of the number of people died due to the virus. What is happening in Iran poses a threat to all its neighbors. Although official figures show that 15 people have died in Iran from the virus, information from Iranian officials, who acknowledged a few days later that they hit a passenger plane by a rocket, is approached with suspicion not only abroad but also by themselves domestically. It is most likely that in Iran, the number of carriers of the virus and the number of deaths from the virus are falsified.

Iran is a country where 2 out of every 5 Azerbaijani citizens, who travel abroad last year, or more than 2 million people in total travel. Typically, more tourists from Iran to Azerbaijan are observed on the eve of the Nowruz holiday, which will happen 21 days later. Therefore, there is a high probability of the virus claiming the lives in Iran to enter Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s health service is incapable to prevent it. However, with immediate and preventative measures, the risks that are increasing day by day can be minimized. What to do? I propose:

1. All communication and transport vehicles (airplane, automobile, etc.), providing live communication between Iran and Azerbaijan, should be suspended on a bilateral basis.

2. The border crossing points with Iran should be closed for departure and arrival and transit transportation. At the other border crossing points, people arriving from China and the other 30 countries where the virus was spread should undergo special medical examinations.

3. Medical personnel of the Ministry of Health should instruct soldiers and officers of the Border Troops, the hospitals, ambulatory care services, clinics, and diagnostic centers should be provided with the necessary resources (medicines, bandage equipment, anti-infective, etc.); the examination of suspected persons and their tests should be carried out only in specialized medical institutions.

4. Mass sport, culture, art, and other activities (including weddings) that are intended to be carried out in indoor places should be postponed.

5. During this week, training and awareness-raising activities should be conducted in kindergartens, schools, colleges, technical schools, and universities; from next week, teaching should be suspended until Nowruz in educational institutions located in Baku, Ganja, Sumgait, and other republican subordinated cities, as well as in the southern regions on the border with Iran.

6. Educational work among the population through mass media, especially TVs, should be carried out; the population should be informed about the methods of protection against viruses through posters and video clips.

7. Restrictions should be imposed on nutrition in restaurants and cafes belonging to the country of the origin of the virus, as well as the countries where it has become widespread, and the sale of food products imported from those countries.

8. The control over the import and export of medicines and medical supplies should be strengthened.; delivery of essential medicines, medical supplies, and bandages should be ensured at the expense of the state budget in a targeted manner.

9. The intensity of flights on the Baku-Nakhichevan route should be increased and the cost of the departure and arrival ticket should be reduced, based on the fact that Nakhichevan is blockaded.

10. The population should try to minimize the use of public transport (subway and bus).

Considering that the suspension of education in kindergartens, schools, colleges, technical schools, and universities until the Nowruz holiday will be the most controversial proposal, I would like to support my opinion with the followings:

- At present, parents are hesitant to send their children to kindergartens and schools in the cities, and many of them no longer allow their children to go to kindergartens and schools.

- March is the month with the highest number of non-working days. During this month, the number of non-working days is 15 days, including Saturdays and Sundays. This means that there will be no lesson for 15 days during the month already. I would like to suggest adding the remaining 16 days of the lessons to the end of the spring semester.

- National health service is messed up and children have not been vaccinated for a long time. If this virus comes to Azerbaijan, it can spread more rapidly and claim more lives.

- Because of the fact that the heating of weather reduces the negative effects of the virus, I think if we can withstand in March, we can get out of it.

I ask the representatives of the press, followers, and member friends to share these proposals so that there is a potential public impact on its adoption and consideration.

Stay healthy, don’t get sick, don’t let the virus go to school.

With best wishes,

Gubad Ibadoghlu,

Chairman of the Azerbaijan Democracy and Welfare (ADW) Movement